Don’t go it alone: plan for connections
Welcome to Part 4 of the Facebook Insight Series by Stu Stevens. A former Yahoo! exec and now MD of Sydney-based Digital Marketing Agency – Remap Online.
We know, it sounds simple. So why haven’t you done it?
Usually, the reasons are that you haven’t had time (which is understandable), or your current agency has already developed a plan for your brand to succeed on Facebook and Instagram.
Presumably, that includes a plan for “connections” … right?
Wrong. Most plans that we see that are already developed have a colour palette and mood board, and perhaps they even speak to the brand’s narrative. Either way, they’re designed to make your channels ‘look’ really nice.
All of that is important, we’re not discounting any of those services – but if that’s what you’re betting on entirely, then you’re missing the point completely.
Social media marketing is not like traditional advertising.
Having great content, graphic design, photography, and artwork are all very, very important – that’s true. But there is a functional element to social media that is vitally important – some would say, even more important – than anything else.
Facebook and Shopify call it Conversational Commerce – others call it Networking, Business Connections, or Customer Experience (CX). At Remap we call it Community Management.
No matter what you call it, it’s bloody important – and absolutely crucial for your business – to see real value out of your online activity.
For any business wanting to develop a brand plan for e-commerce with Facebook or Instagram, all you have to do is articulate the following four points.
- Why do you exist, and why should people care?
- What is your purpose? Define the Products and Services you offer.
- What is the look and feel of your brand & why? Connect your answer to points 1 & 2.
- But most importantly of all, define your Connections.
Connections are usually an afterthought in any traditional brand plan. But for Social Media Marketing, and building your brand on Facebook and Instagram, is absolutely critical.
Connection underpins both ‘image’ and ‘cut through’.
Who you’re connected to defines who you are. This is true in the physical world, and in the online world.
Who you’re connected to also helps bring your message directly to your target audience.
Influencer marketing is hugely successful because it does both of these things simultaneously.
Your brand gets endorsement from someone your audience cares about, and you also get direct cut through.
Defining your connections, as a brand, should entail all of these aspects. You need to make sure that your brand doesn’t end up on Pluto, and that it uses the functionality of social media to its fullest.
Planning your brand must include a plan for connections.
Planning for connections is all about what your brand wants to be a part of.
- What should it be ‘connected’ to?
- What initiatives do you want to support? Any charities?
- What groups and conversations do you want to be a part of?
- What rituals do you have that you want to share?
- And importantly, who does your target audience follow and love. (IE: Choose the Influencers you want to work with).
Ironically, the key to this whole exercise is to keep it simple. By making an effort to distil these points down, you’ll give your business something very, very powerful. Conviction.
Implementing a simple strategy inevitably saves you time and money. Still, most importantly, by unifying your marketing communications, and combining more traditional graphic design components + storytelling + connections in your brand plan, you will supercharge your online sales results, and blow your competition out of the water!
The stronger you can make people feel, and the more often you can make them feel it, the more potent your brand will become and the more successful your online business will be.
Get a tailored brand plan for your business that doesn’t leave influencer marketing out in the cold.
Learn More about creative + storytelling + connections. And how it all should work together.
The insights in this article were supplied by Stu Stevens, MD of Sydney-based Digital Marketing Agency – Remap Online – an Official Facebook Marketing Partner.
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